I'm planning to pull Reinhardt's radiator for a good cleanup. The bleeder nipple on the top has been frozen for a while. This is the diesel radiator. The bleeder looks a lot like a brake bleeder nipple. It is not a screw with a washer, as I believe the gas radiators have. There's a good picture of it on Bentley, page 19.6, Fig. 2. Since it has been stuck, I've simply loosened the radiator hose clamp just below it in the past to bleed (again, I think this location is specific to the diesel vanagon.) Before I take a pair of vicegrips and risk destroying it, I have a few questions. Any suggestions for how to remove this nipple without destroying it? Will it possibly break off and then I have a bigger problem? Should I ask the guys at the radiator shop to deal with it? Will they screw it up worse than I? Is there a source for replacement bleeders or a better alternative? Thanks, Maynard '82 Westy Diesel "Reinhardt" '93 EV GL "Klinger" |
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